U.S. President Barack Obama arrived in Atlanta Monday morning for a speaking engagement and a Democratic fund-raiser. The president was not greeted by Barnes, but by Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue.

“I’m not governor yet,” Barnes said.

The Democratic nominee said he is not distancing himself from the president, that he agrees with the chief executive on some matters and disagrees on others.

“I’m not running for governor of Washington, D.C.,” he said.

The former governor said the most important thing for Georgia is to keep citizens safe.

Georgia crime labs have decreased in numbers in recent years, a move Barnes said should be reversed.

The Moultrie crime lab closed, and discussions are under way about closing the Columbus crime lab. Barnes said he is a proponent of building crime labs rather than fish ponds.

More than 7,000 state prisoners are “backed up” in Georgia’s local jails, Barnes said, adding that the state juvenile justice, behavioral health and corrections system are on the brink of being taken over by the federal government.